2 rescued, 15 homeless after North Versailles apartment fire

Three people were taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation and 15 left homeless after a fire at Versailles Castle Apartments on Lincoln Highway in North Versailles, according to West Wilmerding Volunteer Fire Department Chief Merle Pusey

The fire started around midnight.

Two people were trapped on the second floor. Firefighters and North Versailles Police worked together to rescue them, bringing them down a ladder from the balcony to the ground.

The two people and one police officer were taken to local hospitals for smoke inhalation, Pusey said.

The cause of the fire has not been determined. The damage was heaviest in a basement apartment, which was heavily damaged. The other five apartments in the building suffered smoke damage, Pusey said.

The Red Cross is helping those who were displaced find housing at a local hotel.

Pusey said the fire demonstrated an important lesson in fire safety — keep your doors closed at night.

The door of the apartment across the hall from the heaviest flames was completely scorched, but the apartment within suffered only minor smoke damage, Pusey said. The fire could have been much worse if it wasn’t stopped by the closed door.